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Korean LED maker Seoul Semiconductor has signed a license agreement with Gertrude Neumark Rothschild, professor emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering at Columbia University, New York, USA.

On 19 February, Rothschild filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging infringement by 34 firms of her 1993 US patent 5,252,499 ‘Wide band-gap semiconductors having low bipolar resistivity and method of formation’ (covering a method of producing gallium nitride-based semiconductors for LEDs and laser diodes emitting in the blue and ultraviolet). The complaint sought to bar importation into the USA of a range of consumer electronics products incorporating infringing devices.

“With the license agreement, Seoul Semiconductor is able to provide unrestrictive sales of LED products in the US market, providing further assurance to our vendors and customers,” says the LED maker.

“Seoul Semiconductor is a strong proponent of protecting its intellectual property rights and respects the intellectual property right of other companies,” the firm adds. “This is evidenced by our recent successes in protecting our IP rights in a number of lawsuits in Korea and by us signing a patent license agreement with Itswell Co Ltd just last month.”

Seoul Semiconductor says that it currently owns about 2000 LED-related patents, and has also has signed numerous license agreements and strategic partnership with universities, laboratories and companies in the LED industry.

On 11 March, LED maker Philips Lumileds of San Jose, CA, USA settled with Rothschild in a separate action that had been brought before the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. A case against LED maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA is still pending.

See related item:

ITC investigating blue LED/laser patent infringement case

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